The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT paired with the Intel Arc B370 ranks 2681st out of 2911 tested combos in The Medium. That places this configuration in the bottom 8% of all systems tested, a position driven almost entirely by the graphics solution rather than the processor. The Ryzen 7 5800XT is a strong CPU with an 81st percentile ranking against all CPUs, but the Arc B370 sits at just the 5th percentile against all GPUs. This is a textbook case of a powerful processor being held back by an integrated graphics unit that cannot keep pace with the game's demands. The data indicates that this combo is only suitable for the lowest graphical presets and resolutions, and even then, the experience will be marginal.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 2681 out of 2911 is a clear signal that this is not a gaming configuration. The benchmark results place it far below the median tested system, with only 230 other combos performing worse. The bottleneck is unambiguous: the CPU is in the top 20% of all processors, while the GPU is in the bottom 5% of all graphics cards. The 5800XT is a Zen 3 Vermeer chip with 8 cores and 16 threads, capable of boosting to 4.80 GHz, and its benchmark scores reflect that capability. For instance, it scores 23,794 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 3,359 in single-core, placing it near the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H (0% delta), AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS (-0.3% delta), and AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS (-0.3% delta). It even edges out the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X by 0.6%. Conversely, the Intel Arc B370, with its Xe3-LPG architecture and a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184, is statistically tied with the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (-0.2% delta), ATI Radeon HD 5770 (-0.5% delta), and AMD Radeon HD 7650M (-0.7% delta). These are all legacy or entry-level mobile parts.

The practical interpretation of this rank is that any frame rate achieved is a GPU-limited result. The CPU is never the constraint in this pairing. When looking at the measured FPS, the numbers are consistently low, even at 1080p. The gap between the CPU's potential and the GPU's delivery is the story here. The 5800XT could easily drive a much more powerful discrete GPU to high frame rates in this title, but the Arc B370 simply cannot translate that processing power into frames. The rank reflects a system that is fundamentally mismatched for gaming, where the CPU's headroom is wasted. The data shows that the combo sits in the bottom 8% of all tested configurations, making it one of the weakest options for The Medium. This is not a "bad CPU" problem; it is a "GPU too weak" problem.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is the defining component in this combo's performance, and its specifications explain why the frame rates are so low. It operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz. The memory configuration is "System Shared" with "System Dependent" bandwidth, which means the GPU is using a portion of the system's DDR4 RAM rather than dedicated VRAM. This is a critical limitation for a game like The Medium, which likely requires substantial texture memory. The GPU has 1280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 20 ROPs, along with 10 RT cores. Its theoretical pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s and texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s. These are very low figures for a modern game, and the FP32 performance of 6.144 TFLOPS confirms its entry-level status.

The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184 places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are all over a decade old, which underscores its lack of compute power. The "System Shared" memory is particularly problematic. Unlike a discrete GPU with its own high-bandwidth VRAM, the Arc B370 must compete with the CPU for memory bandwidth on the same bus. The 5800XT supports dual-channel DDR4 with a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, but that bandwidth is shared. The game's performance scales directly with this limitation. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 46 FPS, but at 1080p Ultra, it drops to 16 FPS. This dramatic drop is not just about the GPU's compute limits; it is also about the memory subsystem struggling to feed the game's assets. The RT cores are present, but with such low overall throughput, enabling any ray-traced effects would likely cripple performance further, though the data does not include RT-specific tests.

In the context of The Medium, the GPU's role is to render a horror game that is known for its fixed camera angles and heavy atmosphere. The benchmark results show that the Arc B370 can only handle the game at the lowest settings, and even then, it barely reaches playable frame rates at 1080p. The GPU's low percentile ranking relative to all other GPUs is the primary reason for this combo's poor standing. The data indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor at every resolution and settings level, and its shared memory architecture makes it particularly ill-suited for a game that likely has high VRAM requirements. The 25 W TDP and IGP slot width confirm that this is an integrated solution, not a discrete card, and the performance is consistent with that classification.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data across resolutions shows a clear trend: performance scales with the number of pixels, but the GPU is so weak that even the smallest resolution fails to provide a smooth experience. From 1080p to 1440p, there is a modest drop, but the larger jump is from 1440p to 4K. At High settings, the average FPS goes from 21 at 1080p, to 17 at 1440p, and then plummets to 14 at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is roughly 19%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is about 18%. This indicates that the GPU is nearly saturated at all resolutions, and the extra pixels at 4K simply overwhelm it. The limiting component is definitively the GPU, as the CPU would have no trouble handling these resolutions.

At Low settings, the pattern is similar but with higher absolute numbers. The combo achieves 46 FPS at 1080p, 39 FPS at 1440p, and 30 FPS at 4K. This is a drop of 15% from 1080p to 1440p and a further 23% from 1440p to 4K. The fact that 4K Low is only 30 FPS shows that the GPU is struggling even at the lowest settings. The scaling is not linear, which indicates that the GPU's memory bandwidth and compute resources are being exhausted. For comparison, a balanced system might see a 50% drop from 1080p to 4K, but here the drop is only about 35% at Low settings, suggesting that the GPU is so slow that it is always the bottleneck, regardless of resolution. The CPU's potential is never fully utilized.

The most telling data point is the Medium settings row, which includes min and max FPS. At 1080p Medium, the average is 29 FPS, with a min of 24 and a max of 33. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 24 FPS, with a min of 21 and a max of 28. At 4K Medium, the average is 19 FPS, with a min of 16 and a max of 22. The tight range between min and max FPS suggests that the GPU is consistently maxed out, with no headroom for complex scenes. The fact that the min FPS at 4K Medium is 16 FPS, which is below the threshold for playable in a horror game, is a strong indicator of the GPU's limitations. The data shows that the limiting component is the GPU at every point, and the CPU is merely along for the ride.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of this combo's performance in The Medium. At 1920x1080, the lowest tested resolution, the results are as follows: Low settings yield an average of 46 FPS, Medium yields 29 FPS (min 24, max 33), High yields 21 FPS, and Ultra yields 16 FPS. The jump from Low to Medium is a significant 37% drop, indicating that the GPU cannot handle the increased texture quality and effects. The drop from Medium to High is another 28%, and from High to Ultra is another 24%. This shows that every step up in settings has a substantial cost, and the GPU has no overhead to spare. The 46 FPS at Low is the only remotely playable result, but it comes with the lowest visual quality.

Moving to 2560x1440, the numbers drop further. Low settings produce an average of 39 FPS, Medium produces 24 FPS (min 21, max 28), High produces 17 FPS, and Ultra produces 14 FPS. The drop from 1080p Low to 1440p Low is 15%, which is manageable, but the drop from 1080p Medium to 1440p Medium is 17%. At this resolution, even Low settings are barely playable, and anything above Medium is a slideshow. The Ultra setting at 14 FPS is essentially unplayable, and the High setting at 17 FPS is not much better. The data shows that 1440p is only viable at Low settings, and even then, the frame rate is not stable enough for a smooth experience in a horror game that relies on atmosphere and timing.

At 3840x2160, the performance is abysmal. Low settings yield an average of 30 FPS, Medium yields 19 FPS (min 16, max 22), High yields 14 FPS, and Ultra yields 11 FPS. The 4K Low result of 30 FPS is the only one that approaches playability, but it is still below the 60 FPS target most gamers expect. The drop from 1440p Low to 4K Low is 23%, and the drop from 1440p Medium to 4K Medium is 21%. At 4K, the game is effectively unplayable at any setting above Low. The min FPS of 16 at 4K Medium is particularly problematic, as it indicates severe stuttering in demanding scenes. The data is clear: this combo is only suitable for 1080p Low, and even that is a compromise.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the only sensible setting for this combo is 1080p with Low settings. The 46 FPS average at 1080p Low is the only result that hits a playable frame rate, and it is the highest average across all tested configurations. While 46 FPS is not ideal for a fast-paced game, The Medium is a slower, atmospheric horror title, so it is acceptable. The next best option is 1440p Low at 39 FPS, but the drop in resolution is noticeable, and the frame rate is lower. The data shows that any increase in settings from Low to Medium results in a drop of at least 10 FPS, which is too steep a price for the visual improvement. For example, at 1080p, going from Low to Medium drops the average from 46 to 29 FPS, a 37% reduction that significantly impacts smoothness.

The Medium setting at 1080p, with an average of 29 FPS, is not recommended. While it is technically playable, the min FPS of 24 means it will drop below 30 FPS in scenes with heavy effects, which can be jarring in a horror game. The High and Ultra settings at 1080p, with averages of 21 and 16 FPS respectively, are unplayable. The data suggests that the GPU's shared memory architecture and low compute power cannot handle the game's higher fidelity assets. Therefore, the best experience per the measured rows is to stick with 1080p Low. This provides the most stable frame rate and avoids the stuttering that would occur at higher settings.

For users who absolutely want to play at 1440p, the Low setting at 39 FPS is the only viable option, but it is a significant step down from the 1080p experience. The 4K resolution should be avoided entirely, as even Low settings only produce 30 FPS, and the game's atmosphere would be ruined by the constant frame rate dips. The data indicates that this combo is not designed for high-fidelity gaming, and the settings should be chosen to maximize frame rate stability rather than visual quality. The recommendation is clear: 1080p Low is the only setting that provides a consistent, playable experience, and any other choice will result in a subpar performance.

FAQ

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT the reason for the low frame rates in The Medium?

A: No. The CPU has an 81st percentile ranking against all CPUs and scores 23,794 in Cinebench R23 multi-core. The frame rates are limited by the Intel Arc B370 GPU, which sits at the 5th percentile against all GPUs.

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combo for this system?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 with Low settings produces an average of 46 FPS, which is the highest measured frame rate. Any other resolution or settings combination results in an average below 40 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184 is nearly identical to the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1186, -0.2% delta) and the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190, -0.5% delta), showing it is on par with legacy mobile parts.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in The Medium?

A: At 3840x2160, the highest average FPS is 30 at Low settings, with Medium at 19 FPS, High at 14 FPS, and Ultra at 11 FPS. These results are not playable for a smooth experience.

Q: What is the limiting factor when increasing settings from Low to Medium?

A: The GPU. At 1080p, the average FPS drops from 46 at Low to 29 at Medium, a 37% reduction. The CPU is not the bottleneck, as it is significantly more powerful than the GPU.

Q: Does the CPU's performance match its rivals?

A: Yes. The 5800XT scores 23,794 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is within 0.3% of the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS and AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS, and 0.6% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X.